Cell Phone Bars, Signal Strength, and the Truth

Cell Phone Bars, Signal Strength, and the Truth

How many times have you freaked out because your cell phone wasn’t showing any bars? This can seem frightening if you’re on the road or away from home. But what if I told you that cell phone bars aren’t that important? Believe it or not, this icon isn’t a good measurement of your cell phone’s ability to send and receive calls and data. So, if this is true, how can you rely on your cell phone? Don’t worry. Signal Connect has the solution.

Cell Phone Bars: What They Really Mean

When it comes down to it, your cell phone bars are not an accurate way to measure your phone’s connectivity. First of all, the bar displays vary from phone to phone. For example, you iPhone could show three bars while your friend’s Galaxy might show four. This doesn’t mean one cell phone has better reception than the other. All it means is that at that place and time, Samsung reads “-65dBm” as four bars, while Apple shows them as three.

Here’s another thing about cell phone bars: You don’t know what they’re actually showing. This icon displays a measurement, but you don’t know if that’s for voice or data. Even if you turn your cellular data off, you won’t know which voice band is being shown. In the end, it doesn’t really matter what the bar display is showing. You’ll either be able to make the call or you won’t. It’s as simple as that. Signal strength is really only important when you need to know how fast you can download and stream.

How to Increase Cell Phone Signal Bars

Okay, I have to admit that this paragraph header was a bit of trap. I just told you that cell phone bars aren’t a reliable indicator for calls. Increasing your bars wouldn’t really do much for your cellular phone service one way or the other. What you really want to do is increase your cell phone’s connectivity. This improves your ability to send and receive calls and texts and download and stream data. There’s one reliable way to do this, and it’s not your cell phone bars.

How to Find Your Cell Phone Signal

There used to be a way to find your signal strength. For example, Apple use to measure true signal strength in its hidden test mode. Sadly, that doesn’t work anymore. If you have an iPhone, you’re out of luck. There no app to help you measure connectivity, but there is a “test mode” in current models that determines your LTE. Only Android has a free app called “Signal Strength,” which offers some amount of help in this area.

Has all this talk about the shortcomings of cell phone bars got you obsessed with measuring your signal? If so, we might be able to help you. If you don’t mind make the investment, you could pick up this Wilson cellular signal meter, or this SureCall signal meter. These professional-grade products are sure to get the job done. If those meters are a bit out of your price range, there is an affordable, DIY solution. You could buy an inexpensive, pre-paid Android phone and run the “Signal Strength” app on it to get an idea.You can also get expert advice by submitting a Signal Booster Request on SolidSignal.com. Their staff of trained experts will help you select the best model for your budget and specific needs.

Straight Talk: Cell Phone Signal Boosters

Whether you’re at home, in your vehicle, or at the office, a cell phone booster keeps you connected. These devices consist of an outdoor antenna, the booster, and an indoor antenna. How it works is simple:

The powerful, outdoor antenna accesses voice and 3G, 4G, and LTE data signal, then delivers it to the booster.

The booster receives the signal, amplifies it, and sends it to the indoor antenna.

This process works in reverse every time you make a call or send data.

What your cell phone bars say doesn’t matter all that much. It’s not the most reliable measurement of your connectivity, after all. You can bank on a cell phone signal booster, though. These devices are a reliable way to reduce dropped calls, missed texts, and slow or interrupted data.

The Best Cell Phone Boosters from Signal Connect

If you want a cellular signal booster for your home, office, or vehicle, Signal Connect is your No. 1 source. Solid Signal is an online electronics retailer and division of Signal Connect. The company carries cell phone boosters from SureCall, weBoost, and WilsonPro. If you have questions, or want a product recommendation, call us at 866-726-4182. We’ll match you with a cell signal booster and even walk you through the installation, if you need it. (You’ll be glad to know that these devices are easy to install.)

DIRECTV Commercial and Residential Solutions…

Do you want DIRECTV programming for your home, office, or vehicle? If so, Signal Connect is here to help. As an AT&T Preferred Dealer. We’ll match you with a commercial or residential DIRECTV account, satellite equipment, and more. Best of all, our representatives will provide free service for the life of your account. If you need anything else, you don’t have to be put on hold with DIRECTV’s call center; call us at 866-726-4182 instead. You’ll love the concierge service we provide!